Thiol-functionalized copolymeric polyesters by lipase-catalyzed esterification and transesterification of 1,12-dodecanedioic acid and its diethyl ester, respectively, with 1-thioglycerol.

Copolymeric polyoxoesters containing branched-chain methylenethiol functions, i.e., poly(1,12-dodecanedioic acid-co-1-thioglycerol) and poly(diethyl 1,12-dodecanedioate-co-1-thioglycerol), were formed by lipase-catalyzed polyesterification and polytransesterification of 1,12-dodecanedioic acid and diethyl 1,12-dodecanedioate, respectively, with 1-thioglycerol (3-mercaptopropane-1,2-diol) using immobilized lipase B from Candida antarctica (Novozym 435) in vacuo without drying agent in the reaction mixture. After 360-480 h, both polyoxoesters were purified by extraction from the reaction mixtures followed by solvent fractionation. The precipitate of poly(1,12-dodecanedioic acid-co-1-thioglycerol) demonstrated a M(W) of ~170,000 Da, whereas a M(W) of ~7,100 Da only was found for poly(diethyl 1,12-dodecanedioate-co-1-thioglycerol). Both polycondensates were analyzed by GPC/SEC, alkali-catalyzed transmethylation, NMR- and FTIR-spectrometry.